Normal incidence 4-meter class UVOIR telescopes have been cited as a high priority by multiple government review panels including; the National Research Council's (NRC) study of NASA's Space Technology Roadmap and Priorities, The Office of the Chief Technologist, The Cosmic Origins Program and NWNH Decadal.
The ability to apply silicon cladding over a very large area offers the possibility of coating hundreds of smaller SiC optics at a time, thereby driving the cost down. In exceptionally high volumes it is conceivable that the price to mass produce a Si-SiC optic could become competitive with traditional Zerodur and ULE optics. Thousands of small laboratory mirrors, high-energy laser mirrors and microlithographic mirrors, are sold throughout the world in places like "Edmond Scientific". The ability to economically figure and polish high-performance SiC substrates, would open up many new markets.
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